Voters reject abortion rights ballot question

South Dakota voters have rejected an abortion rights constitutional amendment.

The change would have established a right to abortion during the first trimester, and allow the state to regulate the procedure as a pregnancy progresses. Opponents called the change too extreme.

The state’s near-total abortion stands after voters overwhelmingly rejected constitutional Amendment G. The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday morning.

The vote is opposite the results in 06 and 08, when voters rejected near total abortion bans by around 10 percent each time.

Leslie Unruh worked on all three abortion related ballot questions. She says the difference came down to funding and organization.

“Sixty-six counties, 66 captains, 66 co-captains and a whole lot of volunteers. Where one county, something would happen, somebody else would step in and cover that," Unruh said. "There was a death in one—somebody stepped up and helped in there. They just kept coming and coming. I didn’t even know most of them. We got to meet all these new people, new friends across the state. People cared. They didn’t want to lose, they wanted to win.”

Two groups devoted to rejecting Amendment G each out fundraised Dakotans For Health, which also backed the abortion rights question and an initiative to remove the state sales tax on food.

The trigger law establishing the state’s ban was passed in 2005, prior to the two earlier votes. It went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Republican State Representative Jon Hansen, who is also part of the influential South Dakota Right To Life, says there are conversations about the state’s current abortion ban.

“You find out that there’s a lot of different opinions on this subject. I just think those conversations are going to continue. Maybe our current law doesn’t stay our current law forever. I don’t know," Hansen said. "I just know there’s a lot of people having conversations about it—a lot of legislators having conversations about it. I expect those to continue.”

Backers of Amendment G have not returned requests for comment.

Of the ten abortion related ballot questions, South Dakota and Florida rejected abortion rights proposals. National anti-abortion groups are hailing the results in the Rushmore state.

“South Dakota is a beacon for how the pro-life movement can win future ballot measure fights," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. "When the pro-life leaders speak up and expose the lies of the abortion industry, life wins.”